HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-01-11, Page 5THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 11. 2007. PAGE 5.
Bonnie
Gropp
TThhee sshhoorrtt ooff iitt
Ontario’s MPPs have given themselves
a massive pay raise on the pretext
without it the legislature would almost
fall apart. But there is as much evidence its
massive stone structure will be blown down by
a winter storm.
In an issue that will not go away, the Liberal
government and Progressive Conservatives
who supported a huge raise based their case
mainly on the claim many current MPPs and
new entrants to elected politics would choose
to run instead for the federal parliament,
where the pay is much higher.
Premier Dalton McGuinty got this notion
from the legislature’s ethics commissioner,
who reports on pay and warned the legislature
could become a “farm team” for the federal
Commons.
McGuinty had been searching for a way he
could make a giant pay raise acceptable to the
public – most probably would favour a modest
increase — and had almost given up.
McGuinty grabbed the catchy phrase, easily
understood because professional sports
franchises have farm teams whose best players
they draw from when required, and it became
his theme.
Ontarians also like to think they have
politicians able to stand up to and compete
with federal politicians, whose aims often
conflict.
McGuinty claimed also the trend of MPPs
going federal already has started and with a
federal election possible soon, parties there
again will seek “hot prospects here at Queen’s
Park.”
Half-a-dozen former MPPs won seats in last
year’s federal vote, more than usual, but
McGuinty would have difficulty proving any
left for the money.
Conservatives Jim Flaherty, John Baird and
Tony Clement, who switched, were very much
part of the Ontario party’s dominant right wing
when Mike Harris was premier, but out of tune
with current leader John Tory, who is pushing
a return to moderate policies.
Flaherty had lost his posts as Ontario’s
deputy premier and finance minister when the
Conservatives started leaning more to the
centre under premier Ernie Eves and after an
election was reduced to being merely an out-
of-step opposition MPP.
But Flaherty would have known if Stephen
Harper became Conservative prime minister,
he would become a star member of his cabinet
and he quickly became finance minister and
number two in government.
Baird had little to stay for at the legislature,
but Harper has put him in charge of senior
ministries, including environment, the post he
will rely on most to get re-elected.
Clement had been Ontario health minister,
lost his seat and ran unsuccessfully for federal
leader, and was certain to get in a Harper
cabinet and it was more natural he would run
federally.
Conservative David Tilson had given up his
seat to open up a safe riding for Eves, but
when an opportunity came to run federally,
jumped at it. New Democrat David
Christopherson quit as an MPP because of
policy differences and ran for mayor of
Hamilton, but failed, and the next opening that
came up was federal.
Tony Martin, another New Democrat, lost
his provincial riding, but claimed the federal
equivalent when an election came and it would
be difficult to prove he was attracted by
money, because he was the only MPP in
history to give up a cozy ceremonial post,
paying $11,545 on top of his MPP’s salary, to
protest a Conservative government was failing
the poor.
Traditionally there has been some flow of
elected members between provincial and
federal politics, particularly of Liberals to
Ottawa, where their party has been in power
most of recent decades and had more cabinet
jobs to offer.
The biggest exodus was in 1984, when
Liberal MPPs Sheila Copps, Albert Roy, Eric
Cunningham and Don Boudria switched to
seek their federal fortunes, and Copps went on
to become deputy prime minister and Boudria
a minister.
The two others lost and ended their political
careers, but ironically the Ontario Liberals
won government a year later and, if they had
stayed, all would have been in a provincial
cabinet.
McGuinty should take notice. The best way
a party can attract people to run for it is to keep
winning elections.
A great start
The world of advertising loves to give us
human icons that are larger than life –
some real, some fake.
Mister Clean is an obvious fiction – a
cartoon, in fact. The Man from Glad is real –
or as real as actors get.
The Marlboro Man? He was an interesting
mix. Or rather, ‘they' were. Over the 20-year
course of the ad campaign more than a dozen
actors donned Stetsons and chaps and stuck a
Marlboro in their grizzled mugs to
portray the quintessentially macho Marlboro
Man.
They sure looked authentic. Two of the
actors – David McLean and Wayne McLaren –
even died of lung cancer.
That’s carrying method acting a little too far.
Other advertising brands were totally bogus.
There never was an Aunt Jemima or a Betty
Crocker.
As for that old poseur ‘Kentucky Colonel’
Sanders – hah! Only a Madison Avenue
copywriter could come up with a fat guy in a
Mark Twain suit, string tie, horn rim glasses
and a snow white goatee intoning “Mmmm!
Finger-lickin’ good!”
Well, um, actually, the Colonel wasn’t a
fraud. He really lived and he really did fry and
serve up chickens based on, as the ads said, his
own recipe of “11 secret herbs and spices”.
Harlan David Sanders was born in
Henryville, Indiana in 1890. After several
abortive early careers as a fireman, steamboat
skipper and insurance salesman he ended up,
at age 40, running a gas station in
Kentucky and serving chicken dishes on the
side.
Before too long the gas pumps were
growing cobwebs and Sanders was running
out of dinner plates. He quit the service station
business, bought a restaurant and made
himself the chef.
His chicken dinners became so famous the
governor of Kentucky dubbed Sanders an
honorary Colonel. Sanders treated it like a
knighthood and started dressing like a typical
old time Kentucky gentleman.
His chicken franchises took off, and Colonel
Sanders became the second most famous Face
of the South – right after Elvis.
In 1964, when the Colonel was pushing 75,
he put down the frying pan, sold the KFC
name and accepted a position as roving
ambassador for the company.
An ambassador – but not a mouthpiece.
When he felt the quality of food was going
down he called a press conference and said so.
He called the gravy being served ‘sludge’ and
said the mashed potatoes tasted like
‘wallpaper paste’.
Sanders was so outspoken that the Kentucky
Fried Chicken people actually sued him for
libel. They lost, and for the rest of his life the
Colonel continued to fire verbal broadsides
whenever he thought the business was sullying
the brand name he founded.
Sanders died in 1980 – which is to say his
corporeal form disappeared from earth – but
the Colonel lives on, thanks to some 14,000
KFC restaurants around the world, 1,700 of
which are in China.
If Canadians get a yen for a bucket of
grease, they have 786 KFC outlets
to choose from.
You’d think that would be enough market
penetration to satisfy the folks at KFC but
you’d be wrong.
They’re looking at Mars.
As of last month, a UFO pilot cruising high
over planet Earth would be able to make out
the continents, the oceans, the Rockies, maybe
The Great Wall of China…
And passing over Nevada – Great Klingon!
– isn’t that….the Colonel?
It is. In the middle of the Nevada desert, a
one-hectare sized image of Colonel Sanders
(wearing a red-and-white striped apron in
place of his trademark double-breasted suit)
smiling up at the heavens.
It is the world’s first brand visible from
space.
A reasonable person, after shaking their
head, might want to know, well…why?
Gregg Dedrick, president of KFC explained
with a straight face that “If there are
extraterrestrials in space, KFC wants to
become their restaurant of choice.”
Arf, arf.
Reminds me of the story of another
megalomaniacal earthling, Joseph Pulitzer.
He was an early 20th-century American press
baron and owner of The New York World,a
newspaper which, he told anyone who would
listen, deserved to be “more powerful than the
president.”
To that end, he called a gaggle of flunkies
into his office and ordered them to construct
the biggest billboard in the world to advertise
his paper.
“I want it so big,” growled Pulitzer, “that it
could be read from Mars.”
One assistant finally got up the courage to
say, “Ah, fine, sir. And what language shall we
print it in?”
Arthur
Black
MPP’s pay raise claim shaky
It’s rather after the fact I guess, but when
something or someone is deserving of
praise and accolades, better late than never,
I’d think you’d agree.
With the Christmas holiday and a quick back
to work just in time for that week’s deadline, I
didn’t get a chance to appropriately recognize
the success of Brussels New Year’s Day Levee.
I’m taking the opportunity now.
As a kickoff to the 135th Homecoming
celebration coming this summer, the
atmosphere was appropos. There seemed to be
a sense of celebration as greetings and smiles
were extended and people caught up on
everyone’s holiday news.
A steady stream of people filed in and by the
middle of the afternoon, the tables at the
community centre were filled and the place
was abuzz with laughter, chatter and music.
Organizers were thrilled by the turnout and
considering the effort it takes to put on a show,
it’s nice they were rewarded by worthy
attendance.
For my part, I would like to publicly
acknowledge those who contributed to the
success.
The first praise must go to the committee
who pulled the afternoon’s entertainment
together, and those who assisted them. Anyone
who has organized a similar event knows that
its smooth presentation does not come without
hard work and countless hours. It was a
pleasant mix of talent and corny humour that I
know took more time to assemble than it
appeared.
Keeping everyone happy can be a tough task
and organizers also get kudos for this. Beyond
the entertainment on stage there was
something for everyone to enjoy with free
skating, clowns and face painting for the
children. The air was festive with those present
catching up on each others’ news and sharing
laughs while enjoying refreshments.
The second acknowledgement goes to the
performers. It’s never easy to put yourself out
there in front of people and from the novice to
the more accomplished they did so with
aplomb. It’s a credit to the community to boast
such fine talent. (And yes, one of them’s my
son, but what can I say? I’m a proud Mama!)
Finally, I want to acknowledge not just the
people of Brussels but of any small town
really. The success indicator for any event’s
the support it receives. One thing that seems to
be certain, whether it’s happening in villages
like Blyth and Brussels or the surrounding
hamlets, is that the true sense of community
shines when it comes to celebrating that
community.
I recall the last Homecoming when I heard
time and time again from outsiders that
Brussels sure knows how to throw a party. In a
column after that event I said there had been a
sense of not just showing people a good time
but of what it means to be part of a community.
“From morning to night it never stopped and
people left with an idea of not just how much
fun they had, but how so much was
accomplished by so few.”
I also noted that the celebration had restored
pride in the village. Events such as the Levee
are excellent reminders of what makes our
small towns special — a party for hundreds
offering simple hospitality and top-notch
talent, pulled together by a small group of
dedicated volunteers who want nothing more
from the event than to see it be a success. I
offer my thanks to them.
Other Views Welcome to earth. Have a chicken wing?
Eric
Dowd
FFrroomm
QQuueeeenn’’ss PPaarrkk
All charming people have something to
conceal, usually their total dependence on
the appreciation of others.
– Cyril Connolly
Final Thought